


The Fallen Jedi

by ihathbenobiwankenobied



Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Accident, Ahsoka fails to follow orders and Anakin gets hurt, Cuddling & Snuggling, Cuddly Anakin, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hurt Anakin Skywalker, Hurt/Comfort, Major Character Injury, Platonic Cuddling, Platonic Female/Male Relationships, Sick Anakin Skywalker, Star Wars: the Clone Wars - Freeform, hurt anakin, worried Ahsoka
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-12
Updated: 2020-06-19
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:14:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24685180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ihathbenobiwankenobied/pseuds/ihathbenobiwankenobied
Summary: Ahsoka's failure to follow orders on a diplomatic mission in Naboo leaves Anakin with a number of injuries. A worried Obi-Wan comes to collect his ailing padawan.
Relationships: Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Ahsoka Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker
Comments: 16
Kudos: 150





	1. The Explosive

**Author's Note:**

> Hello There!

Ahsoka sat silently twirling a blaster in her hands and leaning against the hard inner shell of the ship. She was bored, to say the least, and the quiet hum of the ship was not doing much to quell her sleepiness. It had been a busy few days around the galaxy for herself and Anakin. The council had sent them off on diplomatic work on several different planets and Anakin had decided to bring her along as a “teaching opportunity.” She wondered if Obi-Wan was actually the one to make that suggestion because that was certainly not a very Anakin thing to say. Either way, her master had done very little to make the past few days interesting in the slightest. In fact, Ahsoka would argue that he seemed relatively  _ pissy.  _ She knew he himself was not much of a fan of engaging in draining diplomatic work that often resulted in frustration from either side, but he could have,  _ at the very least,  _ tried to make their off time useful. Instead, Anakin had returned to the ship and taken to fixing the clones’ broken blasters, sleeping, or even slinking off to his bunk with a brooding look painted naturally on his sullen features. 

Ahsoka looked up to the cockpit where she could just make out the side of her Master’s face. Almost as if he could sense her gaze, he quietly murmured, “We’re almost there, Snips.” Ahsoka smiled softly at the nickname, at least his weird attitude wasn’t because of her. 

“Good, I need to get out of here. “Ahsoka started toward the co-pilot’s seat and plopped down unceremoniously, her feet swinging up onto the dash. 

“You can’t come on this one.” Anakin glanced her way, lips in a tight line, before looking back toward the locating system. Ahsoka sighed audibly and muttered under her breath. 

“Course I can’t.” She averted her eyes from his direction and aimlessly fiddled with the broken blaster she had yet to set down. 

“Stop that,” Anakin ordered sternly, “You are my padawan and every decision I make is for a good reason. Don’t question my orders.” His voice was more stern than usual and Ahsoka was slightly put off.  _ Why is he so angry these days? _

The locating system started beeping softly as the Anakin began lowering the ship toward the planet below them, eyes slanted in anticipation of their landing. He called out, past Ahsoka for either Rex or Cody to bring him some random papers he had stored in the back of the ship. The landing was a little rough, in Ahsoka’s opinion, and Anakin sat unmoving for a few seconds longer than usual after he’d successfully lowered the ship onto the landing pad. Ignoring her clearly irritated master, Ahsoka took in the beautiful landscape of Naboo, the tower they landed next to seemed to be remarkably different from the spans of plains that scaled the entire length of her vision. Anakin must have heard the little gasp that escaped from her lips because he clapped a hand on her shoulder and asked her to face him. 

“Ahsoka, remember, this diplomatic work is for me alone. I am taking Cody with me and I am leaving Rex here with you. Please follow my orders to stay with the ship.” Anakin’s eyes pierced into Ahsoka’s own and she nodded before replying. 

“Yes, Master.” A tinge of sadness fell over her words and she returned to staring at the unique landscape through the front windows of the ship. Ahsoka waited for Anakin’s footsteps and deep voice to disappear before swiftly removing herself from the cockpit.  _ What is he hiding from me?  _ Ahsoka was curious about her Master’s strange orders to remain within the ship; during the past few days he hadn’t once ordered her to remain separate in the diplomatic meetings. She feared that maybe the matter had to do with her. Perhaps she’d not been clued in on some important matter of the Republic? Her curiosity got the best of her and she decided that perhaps Anakin’s orders weren’t her highest priority this time around. 

Ahsoka, as quietly as she could, plucked her lightsaber from her bunk and attached it to her waist before slipping past Rex who was preoccupied with something on his datapad. She knew Rex trusted her and she hated to abuse his trust, but something felt off about this diplomatic meeting and investigation was the only way she could truly find out what was really going on. 

Once she had escaped the confines of the ship, Ahsoka looked for an easy way to slip into the armed skyscraper before her eyes. She noted another ship arriving at a landing pad off to the left and the guards seemed to all head toward the pilot.  _ Perfect  _ Ahsoka thought as she easily slipped inside the large open building. There, she was met with towering walls that seemed to cause every small sound to echo loudly through the building. Thankfully, the echoing nature of the Naboo tower was conducive to hearing the diplomatic conversation that seemed to be occurring at an outlook off to the right. Hiding behind a twisting metallic pillar, Ahsoka drew close to where she could see, presumably, the Naboo ruler stood proudly several yards away from her Master. She couldn’t quite make out the words that were being spoken between the two, but she could certainly sense her Master’s distaste for the person, and conversation, at hand. 

The conversation drew on for several minutes, though Ahsoka had anticipated it lasting at least the standard thirty minutes, and she was surprised when Anakin said his goodbyes before turning on his heel and heading toward the ship, Cody at his side. Ahsoka panicked as she realized it would be most impossible for her to make it back to the ship before Anakin or without him noticing her presence.  _ Kriff! _ Ahsoka cursed in her head as she began moving toward the ship. She knew that Anakin’s wrath might be less if she acted as though she were simply admiring the view from outside the ship. Exiting the building the same way she came in, Ahsoka was immediately aware that the guards were now inching closer to the Republic ship she and Anakin had taken. She could sense Anakin’s sudden tenseness and she heard him ask Cody if he’d seen Ahsoka outside of the ship. Anakin suddenly swiveled, the Jig was up. 

“Ahsoka!” His voice carried and Anakin took off full speed toward where she stood just outside the tower, “I told you to stay in the ship!  _ Kriff! _ ” Anakin rarely swore and Ahsoka immediately knew that perhaps she’s misjudged the gravity of the situation. “Do you realize that there are people watching us? If they see more than one Jedi they will view it as a threat. That’s why I  _ ordered  _ you to stay in the ship. Come on.” Ahsoka was given seconds to process what her Master had just said before he was pulling her by the arm toward their ship. The guards were closing in on the ship and just as Anakin and Ahsoka hit the ramp the blaster’s started ricocheting off of the metal exterior. “Rex! Let’s go!” Rex apparently heard the order and the ship’s engine revved loudly before they were speeding away from the Naboo landing port. An eerie silence washed over the ship and Anaking brought a shaking hand to cover his eyes before letting out a soft sigh of apparent frustration and disappointment. There were several minutes of intense silence as the ship barreled across the plain landscape of Naboo, “Ahso-” Anakin started softly before a soft beeping began relaying across the ship. Anakin’s eyes grew wide and the realization kicked in for Ahsoka. 

“Is that…?” Anakin nodded which confirmed her suspicions. 

“Rex! There’s an explosive, put the ship down!” Before Ahsoka could get a good grip on anything around her, they were headed for a rough landing on Naboo’s surface. Anakin grabbed the back of her shirt and held on for dear life as the ship scraped aggressively against the dirt and rocks below them. Upon a sudden halt of the ship, Anakin was already set into motion ushering his padawan through the somehow still functioning safely escape door. 

“Ahsoka, listen, get out and far away,” Wild eyes looked into her own and Ahsoka nodded eagerly before taking the orders without hesitation and sprinting in the direction that he had pointed. Looking back, Cody was following not far behind her, it seemed like Anakin was heading towards the cockpit. A pang of worry spread over her chest as she stared at the smoking ship. She couldn’t hear the beeping of the explosive anymore, but she was so very aware of the countdown that endlessly followed her Master through the slowly burning ship. 

Reaching a safe distance from the ship, Ahsoka and Cody watched in awful silence as Anakin and Rex suddenly appeared by the escape door. A sudden splash of hope spread through Ahsoka’s veins before she watched as Anakin manipulated the force to cast Rex’s body away from the ship. The younger man seemed to try and launch himself from the escape door, but the deafening blare of the explosive finally finishing its inevitable mission was enough to stop Anakin’s escape.

Mud and smoke clouded Ahsoka’s vision, but she didn’t care. “Master!” She cried and ran toward the fog; everything seemed to be moving slowly around her and her own shallow breaths seemed to evade the normal concept of time. Mud and smoke. Mud and smoke.  _ Where is he?  _ Even a squint didn’t seem to aid in seeing through the mess of debris. Small tears began to fill in the corners of Ahsoka’s eyes as she helplessly tripped over the scraps of metal that littered the ground.  _ Gods, this is all my fault, I’ve killed my master.  _ Ahsoka couldn’t breathe with the weight of her mistake on her shoulders. 

The smoke seemed to clear just as quickly as it came and Ahsoka could just make out the remainder of the ship. Her eyes flickered over the rubble before catching for an extra second on a familiar mop of hair sticking out from the bottom of a towering pile of the ship’s remains. It took her mind seconds to catch up and realize that mop of hair was her Master’s own. Her heart beat quicker as she rushed to his body and sunk to her knees, “Master!” She was frantic. Looking upon the pale face of her teacher, Ahsoka noted that he was clearly unconscious. She held a soot covered hand in front of his lips and felt for just the slightest indication of breath. It was there  _ he is breathing.  _

“General Skywalker!” Rex’s voice forced its way through the haze before the clone appeared breathlessly in front of Ahsoka’s crouching form. She pleaded with him silently, she had no idea what in  _ kriff  _ to do. 

“I…” Ahsoka started and peered down at Anakin’s stirring form, “How… I, I did this…” Rex crouched next to her and placed a gentle, understanding hand upon her shaking shoulder. 

“Ahsoka, right now, you need to use the Force to move the debris from his body.” I can’t save him unless I know what’s wrong. C’mon kid.” Rex helped her to her feet and Ahsoka tried to shake off the impending fear of what could happen if she couldn’t focus enough to save him. There was a brief pause and Ahsoka collected all the energy she had in her body and directed it toward  _ focus _ . Lifting her hands and releasing a long breath that she didn’t know she was holding, Ahsoka channeled her entire being to move the large panel of metal that pressed into Anakin’s chest. The movement started small, just a slight shaking of the whole metal sheet.  _ You can do it, Snips  _ she heard Anakin’s encouraging voice wash through her mind. Letting out a final shaky breath, Ahsoka channeled her full energy and threw the metal panel just off to the side of the rest of the crash. Taking a moment to regain her strength, Ahsoka opened her eyes to find Rex knelt on one knee by Anakin’s now mostly exposed body. Rex was throwing off some of the remaining rocks and debris from his General. “Help me, Ahsoka.” He called as she knelt softly by Anakin’s side; he was stirring now, face grimacing in pain even in his unconscious state. She noted the lines of pain growing in between his eyebrows and he let a small whimper escape from his lips. Her heart pounded as she began rapidly brushing the remaining stones and metallic rubble from Anakin’s soiled robes. Blood was seeping rapidly from her Master’s upper thigh and she brought in a sharp breath just as she heard Cody swear from not too far away. 

“Let’s move him away from here before the whole thing blows.” Cody recommended with Rex’s immediate affirmation. Before she knew it, Ahsoka was commanded to take a hold of one of his shoulders with Rex perched at the other; Cody lifted his legs gingerly. Anakin let out a soft groan of pain that hurt Ahsoka’s heart more than she cared to admit. “On three!” Cody commanded before the three of the managed to gently remove the General’s ailing body from the remainder of the Ship’s rubble. Ahsoka forced herself to ignore Anakin’s pained wails that radiated endlessly from his cracked lips; she further ignored the deep blood stains that were left behind in Anakin’s wake. 

Their movements toward the unscalded plains grass in the distance were harsher than Ahsoka would have liked, she knew personally what it felt like to be thrown around like a rag doll whilst sporting a few different injuries. Hope swelled inside her that Anakin’s blood left behind was simply from artificial wounds; she knew better but sometimes it was easier to imagine the best when dragging your near lifeless Jedi Master across a foreign planet. There were several agonizing minutes of pure adrenaline as the threesome travelled efficiently. Their arms all burned from exertion, Anakin was no light load, but they pushed their way through the windblown grasses decidedly toward a large shaded tree that moved closer and closer with every agonizing grunt that pushed past the injured man’s lips. “I think we’ll stop here.” Rex voiced the unspoken and Ahsoka and Cody murmured their agreement. Finding a patch of soft grass, Anakin was gently laid out, all three paying careful attention to not disturb any of his still unknown injuries. 

“Master?” Ahsoka whispered breathily and sat cross-legged by her Master’s side. Anakin didn’t say anything, but his eyes began to flutter followed by a low cry and a slight contortion of his facial features. 

“Hu- hurts.” He pushed out and attempted to curl in on himself, almost as if he were trying to protect his abdomen. 

“No, Anakin, you have to lay flat. Can you tell me what hurts?” Ahsoka hated to treat him like a child, but she knew her Master wasn’t the type to easily follow orders, especially from his own Padawan. Ahsoka was surprised when Anakin opened his mouth once more, followed by a terrifying shudder, and began to tell of his ailments. 

“Ch-chest… head feels… hurts,” Another grimace, “My leg.” Ahsoka was sure there was more but she did not push. 

“Okay, Master. I am going to get these robes off of you so I can see what’s wrong.” Anakin let out a mewl of disagreement, presumably in an attempt to protect his pride. Before Ahsoka could reach down to peel away the bloodied garments, Rex stopped her. 

“Ahsoka, before we do anything, please comm General Kenobi. We will need a rescue team and I’m willing to bet the people on this planet are too far off for us to make use of them.” Rex placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and tried to smile softly. The attempt fell flat, but Ahsoka appreciated his attempt to make her feel at ease.

“You’re right… can you watch him for a moment?” She peered down at Anakin’s form; his eyes were closed once more and he fidgeted softly, presumably still awake. Rex nodded and Ahsoka stepped away by several yards. Lifting her arm up to her face, she began speaking. “Master Kenobi, Master Kenobi, come in.” There was just a brief pause before Obi-Wan’s proper accent came through.

“Ahsoka, I assume you are returning from your diplomatic work?”  _ I wish _ .

“We’ve had a turn in events. An explosive was planted on our ship. We had to make an emergency landing on Naboo. I’m,” She swallowed knowing Obi-Wan would be deeply concerned for his own padawan, “I’m afraid that Anakin has sustained several severe injuries.” Another pause, just a few seconds too long, plagued their conversation. 

Ahsoka heard Obi-Wan swallow deeply before he spoke, “Oh goodness.” His voice was shaky, unlike anything Ahsoka had ever heard from the usually composed Jedi Knight. Ahsoka knew the situation shocked him as much as it shocked her;  _ so much for not being attached.  _ “What are his injuries, Ahsoka?”

“We haven’t looked too far into it yet. He’s awake. He said his chest, head, and leg are in pain.” She relayed the little information that she’d managed to get from Anakin. 

“I’ll be there in twelve hours, can he last that long?” Obi-Wan’s voice wavered and Ahsoka looked back at her Master’s reclining form, he seemed to be still awake. 

“Yes- I mean, I think so.” 

“Be careful overnight. There can be sudden drops in temperature on Naboo. Make sure he is comfortable and check for bleeding. I will be there soon, young one.” With that assurance, Ahsoka was quickly falling back to Anakin’s side, eyes tracing over his battered form. She knew that despite her Master’s pride, she needed to peel back his garments and assess the damage. 

TO BE CONTINUED


	2. Pain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Here is chapter two. I really enjoyed writing some true h/c this time around. Hope you enjoy!

“Master,” Ahsoka called softly and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. The elder man opened his eyes, pain clearly lapping at the edges of his consciousness. “I need to get these robes off of you. I need, I need to see what’s hurting you.” A flash of disdain flew across his features and he almost tried to sit up. 

“No!” He looked frantic. Rex gently pushed at the Jedi’s chest.

“General! Please lie still. You are not well.” Rex’s words were remarkably stern and Anakin simply followed the order. This was a strong clue to Ahsoka that her Master was truly in pain. Looking down once more at the dirtied body below her, Ahsoka looked at Rex for some help. 

“Can I use your knife?” Rex handed her the knife he had attached to his armor in response. Anakin’s robes were torn and soaked with mud so she was not about to be gentle with what remained. 

“Lie still, Master.” She ordered as Anakin fidgeted restlessly. Gently, ever-so gently, Ahsoka took to the fabric in front of her, slowly cutting a line from Anakin’s neck line through the center of his chest down to his waist. Once she’s managed to saw through the thick battle-proof fabric, she employed Rex to pull apart the left side of the fabric while she pulled from the left. Anakin let out a sudden yelp, a trembling hand reaching up to grasp at Ahsoka’s wrist as she inched the fabric off of what looked like a tender, bleeding burn wound on his pec muscle that stretched down to his ribs. 

“S-stop!  _ Kriff _ .” Anakin’s voice was a higher octave than usual and his body began to writhe under the hands of his crew. Ahsoka held her breath and let go of the fabric in order to examine the newfound wound. The angry red burn marks spread over most of his left side; the blood seemed to have stopped, but nothing could quell the smell of burning flesh. 

“You have a burn all along your left side, Master…” She put a comforting hand on his hair, not exactly sure what to do. “We need to take your robes off still, this can’t be your only wound.” Anakin simply nodded gently and winced at the movement. Ahsoka and Rex had to ignore the soft whimpers escaping their leader’s lips as they ripped the remainder of Anakin’s top away. Maneuvering each of his arms out of his sleeves, Ahsoka became well aware of the seemingly endless scratches that covered each of his arms.  _ At least his arms are fine  _ Ahsoka thought as she threw the useless fabric to the side and took stock of the Man’s upper body. Eyes scanning helplessly over the tortured flesh in front of her, she took note of the purple bruising that seemed to plague the right side of his chest. Reaching across the burns on his left, she placed a tentative hand on the deep purple bruises across his ribs. 

“Ahsoka!” Anakin cried, eyes flying open and a tear suddenly leaking from the edges of his eyes; she ripped her hand away from his skin just as quickly as she'd set it down, heart beating quickly. “ _ G-gods… that hurts. _ ” His face was scrunched in pain, eyes flickering wildly in an attempt to find something to avert his focus. He was so vulnerable, frankly, an unusual sight to his padawan who was used to being the vulnerable one. 

“I-I understand Master.” Ahsoka felt completely useless. 

“I think it’s probably broken ribs.” Rex provided whilst examining the deep bruises himself; he’d seen his fair share of wounds among his men and this one looked familiar. “Ahsoka, can you maybe try and get him to sleep? We need to take stock of his other injuries and I reckon this will be far too difficult when he is awake.” He was right. Anakin’s cries of pain were enough to convince her that it would be easiest to address his wounds while he slept. Closing her eyes, Ahsoka offered a sleep suggestion to her Master; he accepted without a second of thought and his facial features softened into an expression of somewhat relaxation. A sigh of relief washed over Ahsoka’s form as she sat heavily on the ground, head in her hands and eyes beginning to water. This was all her fault. Anakin’s destroyed body and painful wounds were only the result of her inability to listen; she should have followed orders.

“Hey, Kid.” Cody and Rex sat across from her, both of their helmets tossed aside for the moment. Cody was rummaging through a pack Ahsoka hadn’t realized he’d brought and Rex placed a gentle hand on her back. “It’s going to be okay. Sometimes things don’t go to plan. I promise Skywalker is going to be alright.”

“I failed to follow orders. If I had, he wouldn’t by lying here in pain!” Ahsoka stood and decided to pace and try to relieve some of her internal anger. 

“Child, there are always mistakes to be made. Right now, you need to focus on helping me get Anakin’s injuries accounted for. Cody’s got medical supplies in his pack.” Rex’s eyes flickered over the wounds on the General’s upper body. Ahsoka dreaded seeing any more damage inflicted on his lower half. “Take his boots off.”

Ahsoka followed orders immediately, kneeling to remove her Master’s boots.  _ This feels wrong  _ she thought as she stripped away her Master’s clothes. She’d never seen him like this in a position of utter vulnerability and lack of control. Anakin always was dressed for battle and was rather prideful of his appearance as a teacher of a young padawan; he never let his authoritative stance slip. Now, Ahsoka and Rex stripping away what was left of his dignity, she felt as though she was taking away his treasured privacy and authority. 

Once the boots were removed from his feet, Rex began pulling at the thick battle leggings Anakin wore daily; Ahsoka averted her eyes. “Give me a few seconds to check… under these.” Rex said awkwardly. Ahsoka listened to the rustling of fabric and the whispered, “ _ Kriff”  _ that fell from the commander’s lips. “Cody, pass me that blanket. Is there a stitching kit?” There were a few noises from Cody rummaging through his pack once more before Rex summoned her back to Anakin’s body. Anakin’s leggings were discarded off to the side and his privacy now consisted of a blanket draped across his lower body save for his left leg which caused Ahsoka to gasp. There was a thick gouge trailing from his lower abdomen down his thigh and stretching almost to his knee. It was deep and seeping blood despite Rex holding a thick piece of gauze over the wound’s length.

“Oh…” Ahsoka chimed softly.

“We’ll need to stitch this up before he bleeds out. Luckily, I have medical training. How long will Anakin stay asleep?” Rex asked as he opened the stitching kit Cody had provided from the pack and drew a sharp sterile needle up inspect. 

“Not much longer, ten minutes maybe.” Ahsoka swallowed and Rex sighed.

“Better get to it then. If you don’t want to see this I suggest you look away.” Rex noted Ahsoka’s previous disgust with the process of stitching and the girl decidedly sat down beside Anakin’s relaxed face, hand reaching for her Master’s more for her own comfort than for his. The stitching took several minutes and Anakin’s unconscious face seemed to twist slightly in pain, she knew he was to awaken soon; she dreaded it. “All set Ahsoka.” Rex called and the padawan turned to see Anakin’s lower half fully covered with the blanket. 

Cody offered Ahsoka a small tub of salve. “This is for his burns; it’s bacta salve. Won’t do much for healing, but it will soothe the burns until we return to quarters.” Ahsoka nodded in thanks and unscrewed the top. She was about to scoop some of the gelatinous substance onto her fingers when a grumbled voice arose from her side.

“A-Ahsoka?” Anakin’s eyes locked on her own and he squeezed her hand a little tighter. 

“Master! Are you in pain? We sewed up a deep wound on your leg.” Happy to see him awake, she smiled softly and received a pained smirk in return before he suddenly appeared concerned. 

“What a-about my leg?” He peered down at the blanket covering his leg, suddenly realising his garments had been torn away by his padawan or his clones. Ahsoka simply pulled back the blanket from his leg revealing the hastily stitched angry wound. She heard her Master suck in a deep shuddering breath. He didn’t say anything, just looked woefully at his mangled flesh. The look on his face was unfamiliar, but Ahsoka could read the harsh lines of his face better than most; she knew he was angry. She watched calmly as Anakin slowly started to move his leg starting with just testing the movement of his toes. His attempt to bend his knee ended rather differently with a slight screech of pain escaping from Anakin’s lips. “ _ Force  _ that’s torturous.” Ahsoka could only nod. 

“We’ve called General Kenobi,” Rex informed Anakin from where he towered above the pair on the ground, “He told us he would arrive here on Naboo in twelve hours. We just need to keep your injuries at bay until we can get you some medical attention. Kenobi said it may get a bit chilly here tonight so I figured we better get these back on you now before you freeze to death.” Rex held up Anakin’s leggings, almost expecting the younger man to laugh at the absurdity. Instead, Skywalker looked a little shocked, worry spreading rapidly across his face. 

“You- Obi-Wan is coming? He can’t,” Anakin paused to let out an awful cough followed by a pained mewl, “He can’t see me like this.” Anakin closed his eyes. Ahsoka could sympathize; she never wanted her own Master to see her in such a state of complete disrepair and lack of strength, it was unbecoming. 

“It was either him or Windu, I thought you would prefer a friend who will yell at you less.” Rex shrugged and knelt down, leggings in hand, to try and put them back on the General before the sun set. “Ahsoka, help me will you?”

“No!” Anakin exclaimed in protest and pushed himself upward, the regret immediately overcoming his body as Rex pushed him back down onto the grass. 

“General, I’m afraid this isn’t something you can do yourself.” Rex chastised and Anakin simply threw his arm over his face in embarrassment. “Alright, let’s make this quick, kid.” Ahsoka nodded in response and the pair began shuffling the leggings up over Anakin’s feet and back over his wound. Choked sounds only made it past Anakin’s arm and he laid silently, chest heaving for several moments after Ahsoka and Rex had finished their work.  _ He’s clearly in pain, I wish I could do something  _ she thought before remembering the salve that Cody had provided. 

“Master, I have some bacta salve for your burns. Mind if I apply it? It should ease the pain.” She waited silently, the small tub of gel waiting in the palm of her hand.  _ It’s going on whether he likes it or not.  _ An eye peaked out from behind his bruised arm and Anakin formed a tight line with his lips. 

“If you think it’s best, Snips.” He grumbled as the corner of his lips upturned. Ahsoka smiled.

“Yes. I do.” Scraping a little bit of the gel out of the small tub, Ahsoka gently began applying the salve just on the outskirts of the burn. She worked silently, fingers making light work over top of the tender skin. Though he didn’t say it out loud a gentle  _ thank you, Snips  _ radiated through their force bond. Her Master’s face began to slowly relax as the bacta sunk into the destroyed flesh below. 

The sun set quickly, it was likely only twenty minutes longer before the burning sunlight disappeared below the sunrise. Obi-Wan had not been kidding about Naboo’s chilly nights because the air seemed to make a sudden shift to a bone chilling cold as soon as the sun disappeared. Ahsoka applied the last bit of salve onto the lower part of Anakin’s chest and watched as her Master began to fidget slightly. “It’s cold.” He whispered reaching for the edge of the blanket and pulling it up under his chin. Ahsoka frowned wondering if the thin rescue blanket would really be enough to keep him warm over the night. 

“Do you want me to lie next to you? Um… body heat… yeah?” Her words came out awkwardly but Anakin looked up at her rather pleadingly.

“ _ Please? _ ” He begged softly, a shiver shaking his battered form. Ahsoka made quick work of placing her body down next to his and curled over his uninjured side attempting to transfer whatever body heat she had left to Anakin’s shivering body.

“Ahsoka, Cody and I will keep watch until daybreak. Both of you need to sleep.” Rex uttered as he rose to his feet and flicked on the lights of his helmet to survey the area. 

“Thank you, Commander. Please wake me if you come across any trouble.” Ahsoka settled as much as she could, exhaustion and worry sweeping over her body as she tried to stay completely still. Anakin’s breathing had evened out much quicker than she'd anticipated and taking one last look at the soot covered face, Ahsoka drifted into her own fitful sleep. 


	3. Rescue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello to those reading! Here is chapter three! I have decided that I may need 5 or 6 chapters instead of just four to write out what I want (a little more Obi-Wan and Anakin) but we will see! Hope everyone enjoys a little of Anakin's POV at the beginning of this chapter. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!

Everything was cold; bone chilling cold. It felt like every nerve in his body was trapped by the onslaught of chilling air that swept over his skin. The cold lasted only seconds before it was replaced by another undesirable companion; pain. Searing, hot pain grasped at his chest and head before he could even fully comprehend why it was even there to begin with.  _ Right  _ Anakin thought  _ we’re on Naboo. The ship crashed. The accident. The burns, gouges.  _ A deep pounding in his head clouded over his thoughts and brought a small whimper from his lips. He was thirsty and undeniably in need of bacta or pain tablets, he could kill for either one. 

Anakin tried to get a read on the time by ignoring the pounding in his skull and decidedly opening his eyes. His vision was met with near absolute darkness save for the stars and moons of Naboo sending a soft glow across the plains. The darkness was a poor indication of time, however.  _ How long have I been asleep?  _

Anakin began a brief self-assessment figuring he would try to at least sit up and take stock of his surroundings if he could. The headache burning behind his eyes was a given, but the slow movement of his legs reminded him of the long gouge that ran from his thigh up into his abdomen; a hiss escaped between his teeth and he took a mental break to meditate in the Force; Gods knew something had to distract him from the pulsating pain.

He remembered that his chest and abdomen were a complete wreck. He assumed, likely based on the diverse feelings of discomfort, that perhaps his entire body had endured some level of damage. This was not the first time and certainly would not be the last that he was forced to endure injury, but that thought didn’t stop the seemingly permanent radiation of searing hot pain. 

Anakin’s mind wandered as he attempted to use the Force to block any physical feelings; he thought about what Obi-Wan would say, his once-Master was still the same over-protective man that he had been when Anakin was his padawan. In fact, Obi-Wan was probably already pacing the ship he was on whilst flying out to Naboo and Anakin could almost visualize the older man’s hand rubbing over his concerned forehead. When they returned to Coruscant Obi-Wan would almost certainly keep Anakin under his own watchful eye until he could be, “Absolutely sure there is no way you can easily reinjure yourself,  _ Anakin _ .” Anakin smiled a little. 

“Master?” A soft whisper from his own padawan came from his right side and Anakin turned his head just enough to lock eyes with Ahsoka’s wide ones. 

“Ahsoka.” He sent a tentative little upturn of the corner of his lips her way. 

“Are you okay? Why are you awake?” The slight tremble of her voice was not unheard by her Master, Anakin noted the undying concern leaking through her usual composed facade. 

“Just the pain, Snips. Don’t think I can sleep.”  _ I cannot be dishonest with those eyes looking at me  _ Anakin thought as his young padawan pulled herself into a sitting position and pulled down the blanket to take a good look at the burns; Anakin looked away, he objected to seeing his own mutilated flesh if he could help it. 

“I think it may get infected if we’re out here much longer. I hope Obi-Wan hurries.”

“Oh, he’s in a hurry.” Anakin huffed out and placed an open hand across his eyes hoping maybe he could quell the nausea that suddenly began to burn angrily in his stomach; his headache was reaching near Migraine levels. 

“He really cares about you, you know?” Ahsoka offered as she continued to inspect her Master’s wounds. “You don’t have to pretend that you don’t like it either.” Anakin’s cheeks might have tinted a bit red. 

“You like that I care about you, Ahsoka.” He offered lamely; she already knew that of course. 

“Course I do. At least I have the decency to  _ show  _ my appreciation.” She pulled the sheets up back over Anakin’s shivering form who was suddenly starting to feel a little  _ too  _ nauseous. There was a moment of comfortable silence between the pair as Ahsoka shuffled around beside him likely checking the time or searching through their few salvaged supplies. The nausea only began burning stronger in his stomach as the sounds beside him seemed to aggravate the pounding in his head. 

“I-” Anakin dry heaved, every muscle in his body screaming at him to stop and every one of his burns protesting with the gentle lurch of his stomach. “I think I’m gonna be sick.” Anakin suddenly couldn’t hold it back anymore despite his best efforts not to disrupt any of his injuries. He leaned to the side and choked out what little he had in his stomach.

“Master!” He heard Ahsoka call but the voice sounded like it was so far away. A whimper escaped his lips despite his best efforts to keep it in.  _ Force, everything hurts.  _ Anakin wasn’t sure where to focus as pain ripped through his entire being. He couldn’t remember where he was or why he was in pain but he wanted it to stop. 

_ Gods let it stop.  _

Then there was nothing. 

  
  


………..

Ahsoka watched in horror as her Master whimpered, tears dripping from the closed corners of his eyes as she flipped him onto his back after he emptied the little contents of his stomach onto the grass beside him. Rex and Cody were sitting upright now, ghastly eyes locking with Ahsoka’s as she held her Master’s shoulder, completely unsure of what her next move should be. 

Anakin’s head lolled to the side, clearly blacked out from the pain. 

“Is he out?” Rex asked, Ahsoka wanted to snap at him, wanted to tell him that  _ yes, he is out, clearly  _ but she kept the words in her mouth, not wanting to disturb whatever little peace they had left in this awful situation. Her patience was running thin, not with Anakin of course, but with sitting around waiting. There was nothing she could do to make her Master well, in fact, all she could really do is wait, wait for Obi-Wan and hope that they could bring Anakin back to safety and comfort soon. 

“Yes.” She responded shortly to Rex and checked the time on her watch. Just a mere three hours until Master Kenobi’s much anticipated arrival. Ahsoka didn’t want to wait but sleep was completely out of the question. She didn’t want Anakin to wake to no one by his side again; she needed to be there to hold him and reassure him in all the ways he would do for her. Ahsoka needed to be the strong one this time around. 

Laying down softly beside her injured Master, Ahsoka listened to the soft but quick breaths coming from his lips. A gust of wind blew over their small disheveled camp and she let her body shiver a little as she drew a little closer to her Master’s warm side. They weren’t like this, usually. The padawan-Jedi pair wasn’t overly affectionate in physical means usually, but Ahsoka never questioned the strength of their bond. There was something about the crash and the pain though that made her want to keep her Master close; she couldn’t bear to lose him. 

_ Three more hours and he will be safe.  _

Ahsoka sat awake, not thinking of much, but staring up into the sky at the stars taking turns counting them and trying to let her mind create images by connecting them all together. Occasionally she could feel Anakin’s slight shifting beside her or hear a gentle cry washing over his lips. Whether he was awake or asleep, Ahsoka did not know, but she still ran a comforting hand through his lengthy bronze locks every so often trying to do something,  _ anything _ , to help. The hours passed slowly and unbearably, every check of the time never satisfying her desires for Obi-Wan to arrive. 

A sudden crackling of the commlink on her arm found Ahsoka sitting up rapidly searching the sky for a sign of a republic ship before Obi-Wan could even speak. “Ahsoka, come in.” Obi-Wan’s distinct inflection in his words flew out of her commlink. 

“Ahsoka here.” She said breathily, crawling to her feet, eyes still glued to the sky in front of her. Nothing could be seen yet, but she waited patiently. 

“ETA five minutes.” A sigh of relief, a deep breath. It was time to wake Anakin. If he responded anything like he usually did when Ahsoka woke him up early on his days off, she was in for a few curses and a boat-load of angry glances. 

“We’ll be ready. I’ll send the exact coordinates.” Ahsoka didn’t hesitate and quickly sent the information before kneeling at her Master’s side. Rex and Cody were now awake and they both looked at Ahsoka expectantly. 

“Was that General Kenobi?” Rex asked as he began collecting items that were strewn about and placed them into the pack that sat beside Cody. 

“Yes. ETA five minutes. I need to wake Anakin. Can you make sure we don’t leave anything behind?” Rex affirmed this and continued with his pick up. Looking back at her resting Master, Ahsoka took a deep breath and lightly shook him by the shoulder. 

“Anakin? Master?” Her words were soft-spoken. Anakin’s eyes shifted behind his eyelids and she watched as a deep grimace washed over his usually calm features. He swallowed before slowly blinking open his eyes, the light coming from the horizon forcing him to squint. He looked beyond Ahsoka at some unknown point in the distance before focusing in on his concerned padawan.

“Ahsoka.” He swallowed again and winced. “Is, is Obi here?” Ahsoka wanted to coo at the adorable nickname. 

“Soon. Just a couple of minutes. Can you assess your pain level so I can report it to him when he gets here?” She knew Anakin could tell Obi-Wan himself but her Master was constantly trying to appear completely tough and capable in front of his former Master. 

“I think an eight,” He paused and looked like he might attempting to take stock of his list of injuries. “I think overall and eight.” He concluded and let his eyes slip shut once more. Ahsoka allowed it knowing that he certainly would not fall asleep knowing Obi-Wan would arrive in mere minutes. Anakin cared more for the Jedi than he cared to let on and it made Ahsoka smile endlessly when she witnessed their unrelenting banter. 

As if on cue, there was a distant sound of an oncoming ship before a few seconds later it inched closer and Ahsoka could just make out the outline of the republic ship speeding over Naboo. Her heart beat quickly; the adrenaline she’d initially felt due to fear was replaced with a new type of adrenaline rush, one marked by an overwhelming desire to bring her ailing Master to safety, to his  _ home.  _ A minute passed and the ship was looming just off to the side of their makeshift camp. As it lowered to the ground, the craft kicked up dust leaving Anakin coughing and holding his bruised side. He let out a couple of helpless cries that penetrated the noise around them and made Ahsoka wince herself.  _ A few more minutes of pain, Anakin. _

The ship failed to halt in power and sound as the ramp plunged from the underside. Ahsoka stood and watched in hopeful awe as the first two clones emerged from the ship followed by an undeniably  _ frantic  _ looking Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. She’d never seen anything of the sort from the usually stoic Jedi; he tended to deal in only sly smiles and general seriousness. The Obi-Wan Kenobi marching, no  _ running,  _ toward the scene before him was completely surrounded by an aura of worry, guilt, and overall loving concern. Before he spoke to even Ahsoka, he was dirtying his robes as he knelt by his former padawan’s side. 

“Anakin. Dear one, you’re awake.” Ahsoka watched as Obi-Wan swept Anakin’s unkempt hair from his creased forehead. 

“Obi…” Anakin’s voice emerged in the form of a sob and Ahsoka’s heart nearly broke at the child-like nature of the tone. “Master. Y-you… you’re here?”

“Yes. I am here but we need to not be here. I’m afraid we need to get you on the ship.” Obi-Wan sounded apologetic; the state of Anakin’s body alone was a possibly good indication to the elder Jedi that any movement would cause increased pain.

“Hurts, it,” Another deep swallow from Anakin, “ It hurts to move.” Anakin bit out looking frantically between his Master and his padawan. 

“We are going to try and limit your movement, Anakin. Hold still.” Two clones appeared with a stretcher out of nowhere, seemingly, and they placed it on the ground next to Anakin’s body where Ahsoka had been curled up just moments ago. 

  
_ Anakin will be okay,  _ Ahsoka thought as her Master’s corrupted body was hoisted onto the stretcher and led toward the safety of the ship. 

TO BE CONTINUED


	4. Returning Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello readers! I swear the next chapter is full of some delightful fluff between our three favorite Jedi! I hope you all enjoy this chapter as well. Thank you for reading.

Obi-Wan was usually a composed man, at least he liked to think he was. He could take on any type of danger with a straight face and just enough finesse but today, today the usually unflappable man was beginning to lose his composure. He watched silently from behind as his former padawan’s mess of a body was pulled up the ramp of the ship. From what he’s observed in the short minutes he’d been able to assess Anakin’s injuries, it seemed like most of his body was affected; he saw deep purple bruises lining most of the visible skin on his chest and his flesh arm. It was more than unsettling, it was truly disturbing seeing what used to be his own youngling and now was a man he cared for so deeply, in such a state of disrepair. 

Obi-Wan’s heart beat quickly as a gentle gasp escaped the younger man’s lips when he was jostled; he could feel Ahsoka’s worry through the force as she walked quietly before him. She knew what it was like to see one’s own Master completely incapacitated, he himself had experienced this many times with Qui-Gon. He felt the padawan learner’s pain and mentally pledged to himself that he would console her once Anakin’s condition was stabilized. 

Once the two clones carrying Anakin’s body had made it up the ramp, they were already heading toward the small medical station that Obi-Wan had purposefully chosen this ship for. Kix was waiting, medical supplies strewed out across the small metal table beside him and bacta patches in hand.  _ Thank Force  _ Obi-Wan thought as he knelt beside Anakin’s stretcher; Ahsoka followed suit and put a gentle hand on the Jedi Master’s shoulder. He could almost feel a slight tremble in her touch. 

“Kix, please assess his condition as thoroughly as possible.” He turned toward the other clones standing off to the side. “ Please tell Commander Rex to get us off this planet.” A brief nod from both of clones indicated to Obi-Wan that they’d understood his command and he looked back down to where Kix was examining the angry burn wounds that littered almost the entirety of the Jedi’s chest. With a gloved hand, Kix ran just the very tips of his fingertips across the pink flesh just on the outside of the burns which elicited a sob of pain from Anakin’s chapped lips. 

“S-Stop!” The plea was weak as it fell from Anakin’s lips and Obi-Wan reached to run a shaking through the greasy locks on top of the man’s head. 

“Anakin, it will be over soon,” He whispered, hoping his soft tone would bring Anakin any sort of calamity, “Kix is just checking over your wounds. Would you like a sedative?” Obi-Wan hoped he would say no, hoped that he would shake off the offer and simply settle back. Obi-Wan hoped Anakin wasn’t in enough pain that he needed to be  _ sedated _ . 

“Please.. Please.” Anakin sighed, his metal fingers clenching the thin, white medical fabric underneath his body. Obi-Wan swallowed nervously.

“Kix, please give him a sedative.” Obi-Wan ordered in an unforgiving tone. The clone nodded and took a pause from his check to search through the medical supplies. After several seconds, a syringe appeared in his hand and he reached to pull aside Anakin’s leggings, inserting the needle into the flesh of his buttock. Anakin’s pained expression melted into one of relaxation and contentment in just a matter of seconds; Obi-Wan felt the relief wash over him as the man’s breaths evened out and he relaxed into the stretcher. 

“He was in so much pain…” The sorrow swept over Ahsoka’s voice as she spoke up beside him. Her eyes were downcast as she eyed Kix’s hands that pressed at the bruising on the other half of Anakin’s chest. Obi-Wan was mostly at a loss for words; the girl obviously witnessed whatever had brought Anakin’s injuries upon him and Obi-Wan wouldn’t wish that on anyone, especially such a young padawan.

“He will soon be okay, Ahsoka.” Obi-Wan offered gently and grasped her hand, eyes still trained on the man before him. She squeezed back. There were several moments of silence. Kix grumbled every so often and he looked terribly distraught at the sight of the long gouge hastily stitched by Rex once he’d torn away the destroyed and bloody leggings. Obi-Wan was more than thankful that Anakin was asleep for this, he knew how protective the younger man was of his privacy. 

Finally, after ominous silence on the part of the medic, he spoke up. “Looks like the General has third degree burns across about three-quarters of his chest and I believe two broken ribs on his right side. He is clearly concussed, especially judging by the bruising across his temple. The gouge in his leg and lower abdomen is deep, but will not require surgical intervention. It will need to heal naturally with better stichting for the best results… I know that will certainly not go over well.”  _ Anakin can’t be kept away from the front lines for even a day, much less for weeks  _ Obi-Wan thought. “My suggestion is that we get him in a bacta tank for a few hours to heal up the burns for the most part. The other injuries will need to heal naturally.” The assessment was just as Obi-Wan had predicted, lengthy and complicated. He knew internally that the order for Anakin to remain on bed rest to heal would not go over well but he wanted to hope that the severity of the situation would convince the young man otherwise. 

“Is he- he’s gonna be okay?” Ahsoka’s voice was small and she squeezed Obi-Wan’s hand harder. 

“Yes, young one. With time, he will be just fine.” 

The remainder of the time spent on their return to Coruscant was largely uneventful and was marked only by the persistent worry of Obi-Wan and Ahsoak. They hadn’t removed themselves from the man’s sedated form, only watching and listening to his shallow breaths. Obi-Wan was tired; he’d only just returned from his own mission to go collect his reckless padawan’s. Together, the pair always seemed to attract disaster. Obi-Wan could name countless times he’d have to go “save” the two of them from some force-forsaken mistake that had left them cornered. Obi-Wan was never unhappy to retrieve them, but usually the situations weren’t at this level; usually his padawans were largely unharmed. 

A sigh escaped the man’s lips and he stroked his beard. The tiredness was beginning to weigh on him and he could feel his eyes beginning to droop. He refused to let himself cave to these feelings, he needed to be there for Anakin and Ahsoka both as they both relied on him so heavily.

“General Kenobi, we are landing on Coruscant.” The crackle of the commlink on his arm woke him up a little and Obi-Wan felt a small amount of relief at the idea that he could get Anakin to a bacta tank and take the edge off of the younger Jedi’s pain. Obi-Wan rose to his feet, hand letting go of Ahsoka’s. 

“Come, young one, we’re landing on Coruscant.” She stood by his side and looked back to the sedated body of her Master.

“This is all my fault. If I had just… If I had just stayed on the ship this all wouldn’t have happened.” She shook her head in disdain.

“Ahsoka, what do you mean? This is not your fault alone.” Obi-Wan turned to her an placed a hand on her wrist. 

“Anakin told me to stay in the ship on Naboo. I disobeyed his orders and the Naboo people saw us as a threat. They planted an explosive on the ship. I caused this.” She threw a hand at Anakin and put her hand over her face, tears leaving from the very corners of her eyes. 

“There is no way you could have known this, dear one. I wouldn’t place the blame on yourself. What matters is that General Skywalker is alive and will recover, with time of course. Blame will not change what has happened.” Obi-Wan wanted to say more, wanted to tell her that Anakin made the same mistakes in his youth and had caused more than one injury for his own Master, but the sound of the ship lowering to the ground and the subsequent lowering of the ramp to the platform of the Jedi Temple distracted him. 

“Let’s get you to the halls of healing, Sir.” Kix uttered and before Obi-Wan had a chance to react several clones were ushering Anakin’s lifeless body away toward the confines of the temple. 

  
  


\----

Ahsoka and Obi-Wan sat on the floor outside of Anakin’s room where he was held, sedated once more, in a bacta tank. Just about three hours had passed since he’d been submerged and the medical droid appeared from the room periodically to inform them that his burns were slowly healing. They had been told that he would be released from the tank in just over three hours total and would be allowed to return to his quarters under strict orders of supervision by Obi-Wan and Ahsoka. 

Obi-Wan had contacted the Council in the meantime and informed them that he, Anakin, and Ahsoka would otherwise be indisposed for at least a week. A lull in the war efforts at the moment was enough to allow for such an extended break for the three Jedi but Obi-Wan knew he was pushing his luck. 

Obi-Wan watched intently through the glass wall of Anakin’s room. He knew the man’s burns were healing but it would not be an easy road to recovery once he woke up. There would be pain medication administered through tablets, changing of wound dressings, and ever so much suffering for the first few days. Obi-Wan hoped silently that Anakin would feel marginally better when he was woken.

“General Kenobi, Asoka.” Obi-Wan’s head snapped upright at the sound of Kix’s voice coming from where he had cracked open the door. “We’re taking him out.” Obi-Wan wasn’t sure if he was relieved or worried. Either way, he helped Ahsoka to her feet and allowed the padawan first entry in the white medical room. A little gasp escaped her lips and Obi-Wan watched as her eyes flickered over the contraption before her. The first time Obi-Wan had seen a bacta tank he’d felt largely overwhelmed by its looming demeanor; it seemed more like a torture device than one that was supposed to help. He understood her shock.

“Is the burn entirely healed?” Obi-Wan asked Kix, he couldn’t see through the tank well enough to decide for himself.

“It's reached the level of a first-degree burn. It will still be tender, but nonetheless bearable with proper changing of dressings. I have dressed both his leg wound and applied bacta patches to his burns. There is a bag sitting here with the medication and dressings he will need and a complete list of instructions.” He handed the heavy bag to Ahsoka, “Now, all we need to do is wake him up and make sure he’s well enough to release.”

Kix pulled the medical stretcher out from where it sat before to reveal a slightly less horrifying looking Anakin. The man’s skin was drained of color and the deep purple bags under his eyes were supremely evident but the burns on his chest were only a deep red and seemed to have begun scabbing over. 

“His burns look less…” Obi-Wan started. 

“Angry?” Ahsoka supplied him. 

“I suppose that’s appropriate.” Obi-Wan remarked. Kix brought a syringe over to Anakin’s unconscious form and slowly pushed a clear liquid into the man’s shoulder. It was mere seconds (at least that’s what it felt like to Obi-Wan) before Anakin’s wide eyes fluttered open to reveal bloodshot blue eyes that frantically searched over the faces looming over him. 

Suddenly, Anakin’s eyes seemed to focus on Obi-Wan’s, the elder man felt a tickle of happiness in his heart and couldn’t help but to allow himself a soft smile. “Obi. M-master.” Anakin’s eyes opened a little wider and he began struggling against where Kix had, thankfully, pinned Anakin’s arms to the medical bed. 

“It’s me, dear one. Do not be afraid.” A calloused hand found its way into Anakin’s long hair once more and Obi-Wan beamed at the adorable smile that graced his former padawan’s face. “How do you feel?”

Anakin’s face scrunched up slightly as he seemingly thought intently about how he felt, “Achy, everywhere. A little… like I’m underwater?” Anakin rasped. Ahsoka let out a soft giggle, clearly realizing Anakin’s strong pain killers were taking effect. “Snips!” Another smile curled over the Jedi’s face and she gently patted his shoulder. 

“It’s me, Master. I’m happy to see you alive.” She spoke softly, almost as if she were trying not to hurt him with a normal level of volume. This brought a chuckle to Obi-Wan’s lips. 

“Let’s get you back to your quarters Anakin, it’s time for some rest.” Obi-Wan said quietly and laughed under his breath once more at the low mewl of agreement that escaped past Anakin’s lips. 


	5. The Care of Obi-Wan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi readers! This is my second installment in less than 24 hours. I hope this satisfies the Obi-Wan & Anakin needs that you all have been waiting for! Let me know what you think!
> 
> Also, if you have any ideas for my next chapter with Ahsoka being awake, please let me know! 
> 
> Thanks for reading.

“Anakin! For Force sake please refrain from attempting to sit up!” Ahsoka chuckled lightly under her breath as Obi-Wan scolded his former padawan like a youngling. She watched as Anakin looked to her with wide eyes and a slight pout on his face. 

“Tell him to stop treating me like a youngling, Snips!” Anakin demanded as he rested back against the slightly reclined bed once more, obviously faking reluctance. Ahsoka laughed audibly this time and ruffled his hair jokingly. 

“I don’t think so,  _ little one. _ ” She teased and received an excessively grandiose eye roll from her Master. Even that got a little huff out of Obi-Wan which was truly rare outside of the bounds of the three Jedi’s usual bantering. 

“In all seriousness, Obi-Wan, the bacta did a great job on this.” He motioned to his bare chest covered in the pink remains of what was previously a life-threatening burn. “I almost threw up when I looked at it.” 

“You did throw up, Master.” Ahsoka reminded him gently. 

“It wasn’t at the sight of the burn, Ahsoka.” Anakin shot back.

“Would the two of you pipe down, please? We’ve made it to your quarters, Anakin.” Obi-Wan’s voice was its usual unwavering “general” voice that he loved to persistently use even among his padawans. Surely enough, the long walk back to Anakin’s quarters was finally finished and all that loomed before them was the task of getting Anakin into his bed. Swiftly unlocking the door with a key he’d somehow gotten from Kix in the halls of healing, Obi-Wan let himself into the room before him. He wasn’t shocked by the mess but he huffed in frustration as he ordered Ahsoka to stay at the door with Anakin so he could make the space, “More comfortable.”

Tearing the messy sheets and blankets from Anakin’s largely unused quarters, Obi-Wan searched the small closet across the room for the softest sheets he could find. When he’d finally managed to get Anakin’s large bed looking comfortable, he called for Ahsoka to bring Anakin forth. 

“Fresh sheets and everything!” Anakin remarked sarcastically, bringing a hand to cover his mouth in faux-shock. Obi-Wan shot him a very false smile.

“Just be lucky I made it all nice for you. You, dear one, will be spending a lot of time here.” Obi-Wan reminded him and Anakin grimaced for real, looking a bit dejected. Obi-Wan understood what the Jedi was feeling, the change of pace from going on mission after mission to suddenly being confined to bed was rather dramatic; he himself was not overly fond of the short stints he’d had to complete in medical. 

“Let’s get you in bed.” Ahsoka spoke up as she directed the medical bed so it was in line with the bed. “We’ll hoist him up on three. Okay, Master?” She looked to Obi-Wan expectantly.

“Sounds like the easiest way. Anakin, bear with us.”  _ Here we go.  _ One three, Obi-Wan hoisted Anakin from under his armpits and Ahsoka from his feet. Unexpectedly, Anakin cried out loudly at the movement and a hand rapidly shot to the deep bruises on his ribs.  _ Broken ribs, kriff  _ Obi-Wan remembered and instantly was sitting next to the younger man, his own hand pulling Anakin’s away from the angry flesh. 

“I’m sorry, Anakin. Please, just be still. Don’t touch it, my dear.” Obi-Wan watched as small tears collected on Anakin’s closed eyelashes and the younger man sniffled. It was upsetting to see him like this; laid out completely at the will of others. Obi-Wan was used to seeing his padawan full of life and  _ power _ . The man before him looked physically strong, but almost held the demeanor of the small helpless child he had once been years earlier. 

“Hu-hurts,  _ kriff. _ ” Anakin swore held completely, unnaturally, still. “F-forgot about the broken r-ribs.” Anakin had been briefed on his own injuries but obviously, he had been distracted by how good he felt. Obi-Wan had attempted to remind him that the painkillers were largely blocking most of the pain. Apparently, now, the pain had made a resurgence.

“Master?” Ahsoka murmured quietly and crept onto the bed on his left side, cold-pack in hand, “This should help the pain.” She wrapped a towel around the cold-pack and held it ever so gently against the bruises that littered his chest. 

“Thank you, Sn-snips.” Anakin stuttered out and let himself sink into the warmth of the bed. The girl smiled softly and pushed a lock of hair off of his forehead with her free hand. Several minutes passed and Obi-Wan took to cleaning up the remainder of Anakin’s space. He wasn’t about to let his former padawan live in his own self-induced  _ filth.  _ Throwing the discarded garments into the hamper, Obi-Wan headed back to Anakin’s side; the younger man was coated in goosebumps and he shivered just slightly. 

“Would covers help?” Obi-Wan asked, already pulling the duvet cover up past Anakin’s toned stomach. Oh how this reminded Obi-Wan of all the times the pair had shared in Anakin’s youth; the young boy had hurt himself too many times to count and Obi-Wan could remember him coming down with all sorts of illnesses throughout his teenage years. Some sort of fondness washed over his mind as he tucked the young man in. Obi-Wan loved to  _ care  _ for him. 

“Thank you, Master.” Anakin murmured softly and looked up fondly at the Jedi Master. Anakin only called Obi-Wan “Master” when he was truly grateful for protection or help from the elder man. It was their own secret code for appreciation. Obi-Wan stroked a gentle thumb across Anakin’s cheek, pausing for just a second, before turning toward the small kitchenette to look for some soothing tea. Tea always helped. 

“Tea, Anakin?” He called out, pulling a mug from the top cabinet. 

“Do I have to? If I do, can it be mint?” Anakin still loved to pretend that tea wasn’t appetizing. Obi-Wan knew he drank it in the mess almost every day. 

“Yes, you have to, don’t be smart. Mint it is.” Obi-Wan fixed Anakin’s tea just the way he liked, mint with just a splash of cream and a pinch of sugar. Hands wrapped around the warm mug, Obi-Wan returned to find Anakin smiling fondly at the Padawan curled up by his side. The togruta was curled up on her side, head tucked just inches from Anakin’s side. Her eyes were shut and Obi-Wan could just make out her soft breaths. “Is she asleep?” He asked mindlessly and Anakin nodded. 

“She had quite the long night on Naboo.” Anakin frowned a little at this, and Obi-Wan sat by his side, helping the man push himself into a sitting position. Anakin let out little gasps of discomfort as his stitches across his leg and stomach pulled at the movement. “Wish that would just heal already.”

“It’s been one day, Anakin. Healing takes time.” The mug was transferred to Anakin’s hands. “That night on Naboo, what exactly happened?” Obi-Wan didn’t want to pry, but Ahsoka hadn’t wanted to say much and he knew Anakin was naturally more chatty.

Anakin shifted and took a few careful sips of the tea. “I, I don’t remember much, honestly. All I know is that we had to force a landing. The explosion happened after I got all of them out. It was  _ bad  _ Obi-Wan. I never want her to see me like that again.” He swallowed deeply and eyed his sleeping padawan once again. “I was helpless. She watched me scream, and  _ cry.  _ I know she was probably awake all night just waiting for me to die.” Anakin shook his head and Obi-Wan understood. 

“Anakin, every padawan knows that their Master is not invincible. How many times have I been left injured?” Obi-Wan asked rhetorically. “She protected you, stood by you. She cares for you, surely, and wanted to be there for you. I can affirm that she is simply happy to see you alive, dear one.” There was that nickname again, old habits die hard. 

“I know she wanted to protect me but I don’t want her to be afraid after this point. I am worried that she won’t be fearless around me anymore.” The statement was solemn and Obi-Wan could feel Anakin’s chipper facade slipping. 

“If anything, this will make her even more fearless. She had faced the inevitable, fear of losing you. Eventually, she will be made stronger because of it.” Obi-Wan refrained from going on although he wanted to, he knew that Anakin needed some time to think through the situation for himself.  _ He’ll come around eventually  _ Obi-Wan assured himself and let the sounds of Ahsoka and Anakin’s breathing fill the silence. 

Anakin sipped at his tea for several minutes before he winced slightly looking over at Obi-Wan, his eyes traced the elder man’s face before he spoke up. “Obi-Wan, you look exhausted.”

“I’m fine, Anakin.” Obi-Wan responded promptly, he wouldn’t be sleeping until he was sure Anakin would be sleeping as well. 

“Shut up. Would you come up here on the bed with me?” Anakin shifted a bit to the side and pulled the covers off of his body to indicate that he wanted Obi-Wan in the bed with him. Obi-Wan looked around aimlessly; he knew there wasn’t another bed in the room but he didn’t want to take advantage of the injured man’s bed. 

“Anakin, I don’t want to hurt you.” Obi-Wan said helplessly knowing Anakin would refute this immediately. 

“Obi-Wan Kenobi you have got to be kidding me. Please don’t make me beg.” Anakin tilted his head down to indicate, once more, that he wanted Obi-Wan next to him. Scrubbing a hand over his face, Obi-Wan stood. 

“Fine, but only because you are helpless and I’m feeling nice. Let me get these robes off.” Obi-Wan took off his robes gingerly, placing the lot of them on the chair just off to the side. Once he was down to just his leggings, he returned to the bedside where Anakin watched him with a huge smile on his face. 

“Thought I was going to have to beg for a cuddle there for a minute.” Anakin said gently and moved over just a hair more, a wince shaking his form. 

“Anakin!” Obi-Wan whisper yelled. “Don’t hurt yourself. Let me give you some painkiller before we settle down. Would you like a sedative as well?” Obi-Wan asked and reached for the medical bag that Ahsoka had placed on the bedside table. He was instructed by Kix to administer painkillers by syringe for the first two days. 

“Just the painkiller would be good. I’m feeling a little tired myself.” Anakin said as he watched Obi-Wan pull the syringe from his bag. “That’s, that’s the pain killer?” Anakin looked at the contraption skeptically and Obi-Wan let out a huff of laughter. 

“It’s a shot, Anakin. You’ve had plenty of these. Stop acting like a youngling.” Obi-Wan fake scolded and took a hold of the younger man’s shoulder. He pressed an alcohol wipe against the patch of skin that he intended on piercing. 

“Never thought I’d be administered a shot by my half-naked Jedi Master. This is one for the books for sure.” Anakin said plainly and Obi-Wan’s cheeks heated up immeasurably. 

“Oh would you shut up, Anakin.” Obi-Wan sneered, pricking his padawan’s skin. Ha, revenge. Anakin laughed a little at Obi-Wan’s lack of response and settled into the bed a little deeper, the immediate effects of the painkiller taking a hold on his body. 

“Get over here.” He urged Obi-Wan, eyes already closed. 

“Just a second.” Obi-Wan returned the supplies to the medical bag and sat down on the soft bed, swinging his legs onto the white sheets. It felt absolutely,  _ insanely,  _ good to even sit on the bed. How good would it feel to sleep? Obi-Wan allowed himself to lay down and inched closer to Anakin’s heat, curling his chest around Anakin’s arm and allowing his face to burrow in the young man’s neck. Obi-Wan breathed in softly and basked in the gentle warmth of Anakin’s skin. 

“Sleep, Obi-Wan. Force knows you need it.” He heard Anakin whisper. A soft hand tangled in his hair and Obi-Wan couldn’t help but think that it should be the other way around;  _ he  _ should be the one coaxing Anakin to sleep. Sadly, the man couldn’t help but mewl at the soft, familiar strokes of Anakin’s fingers through his hair. 

“You sleep as well, Anakin.” Was the last thing Obi-Wan could utter before he submitted to much needed rest. 


End file.
